vapour

IPA/ˈveɪpə(r)/
IPA/ˈveɪpər/

vapour — noun

  • vapoursingular
  • vapoursplural

1. a mist-like substance formed from tiny liquid drops or gas released when somethi

1.名詞B1
釋義

a mist-like substance formed from tiny liquid drops or gas released when something is heated, or the gaseous state of a substance that under normal conditions is a liquid or a solid.

例句

Steam from Eleni's bath filled the room with warm vapour and fogged up the window.

'vapour from [source]' — typical noun collocation pattern

The vapour trail behind the plane slowly disappeared into the blue sky.

同義詞
  • steam

    specifically refers to vapour from boiling water, usually hot and visible

  • mist

    a cloud of tiny water droplets in the air, not necessarily from heating

  • fumes

    vapour from chemicals, often harmful or with a strong smell

反義詞
  • solid

    the opposite physical state

  • liquid

    the opposite physical state

用法筆記

This is the British English spelling. In American English the spelling is 'vapor' (no 'u'). The word is commonly used in scientific contexts such as 'water vapour' and 'vapour pressure'.

常見錯誤

❌The smoke from the kettle filled the kitchen.
✅The vapour from the kettle filled the kitchen.
💡Smoke comes from burning; vapour comes from heating a liquid or solid.
❌The fog from the shower made the mirror wet.
✅The vapour from the shower made the mirror wet.
💡Fog is a weather phenomenon; vapour is a mist from heating.

2. an old-fashioned term for a state of sudden weakness, dizziness, or feeling unwe

2.名詞C1
釋義

an old-fashioned term for a state of sudden weakness, dizziness, or feeling unwell, typically brought on by an emotional shock or strong feeling.

例句

After hearing the shocking news, Beatrix said she had the vapours and needed to lie down.

'have the vapours' — fixed idiomatic phrase

Noa felt a wave of dizziness and wondered if this was what people called the vapours.

同義詞
  • dizziness

    modern equivalent; a spinning or unsteady feeling

  • faintness

    modern equivalent; a feeling that one might collapse

  • swoon

    an old-fashioned word for fainting, similar register

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used in the plural form 'the vapours'. It is now very old-fashioned and often appears in historical fiction, period dramas, or humorous references to Victorian-era behaviour.

常見錯誤

❌I have the vapours from working too hard.
✅I feel dizzy from working too hard.
💡'The vapours' is an old-fashioned term for a sudden emotional shock reaction, not general tiredness.
❌He caught a vapour from standing in the rain.
✅He caught a chill from standing in the rain.
💡'Vapour' in this sense refers to an emotional faintness, not a physical illness.